The primrose stitch, a variation on the shell stitch, is perfect for beginner crocheters who want to get into intermediate-stitch territory. It’s also a go-to for seasoned stitchers, as it helps bring lots of gorgeous texture to projects. Once you’ve got this skill in your wheelhouse, you’re sure to turn to it again and again.
Primrose Stitch
Level: Intermediate
Abbreviations
ch – chain dc – double crochet hdc – half double crochet sc – single crochet st/sts – stitch/stitchesInstructions
Pro Tip: If you’re comfortable with working these stitches and reading patterns, you can dive right into the pattern below. But if you need a little more instruction, there’s a step-by-step version available, too.
Number of stitches: Multiple of 3 + 2
Foundation row: (1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc) in 3rd ch from hook. *Skip next 2 ch, (1 sc,ch 2, 1 sc) in next ch, repeat from * across the row, end with 1 hdc in last ch. Turn.
Row 1: Ch 3, *3 dc in next ch-2 space. Repeat from * across the row, end with 1 dc in top of turning ch. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 2, * (1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc) in 2nd dc of next shell, repeat from * across the row, end with 1 hdc in top of turning ch. Turn.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until you reach the desired length.
Primrose Stitch, Step-by-Step
Now, let’s break down those instructions.
The Foundation Chain
Chain a multiple of 3 sts + 2 sts. We’re chaining 14 stitches for this swatch, but you can chain any multiple of 3 (plus 2 more stitches) that you’d like. Example: 5, 8, 11, 17, etc. would all work.
The Foundation Row
Work the following into the 3rd chain from your hook: 1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc.
*Skip the next 2 chain stitches, then work 1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc into the next chain, just as you did before. Repeat from * across the row until you reach the last chain. Work an hdc into the last chain, then turn the work.
Row 1
Ch 3 for the turning chain. *Work 3 dc into the next ch-2 space. This will be the space from the previous row where you chained between single crochets.
Repeat from * across the row, then work a double crochet into the top of the turning chain. Turn your work.
Row 2
Ch 2. This counts as the first hdc.
Now we’re going to work that same *1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc* into the second double crochet of the next 3-dc shell. Repeat from * across the row. When you reach the end, work 1 hdc into the top of the turning chain. Turn your work.
Keep repeating Rows 1 and 2 until you are happy with the length. Congrats — you can primrose stitch!
Very nice instructions with detail, with corresponding pictures make it easy to learn and follow along.
Very detailed instructions and easy to follow with the photos; thank you.
What needle size do you recommend?
I like this article and it's pattern. Thanks for including it.
beginner crochet